Fragrance

Last fall Louis Vuitton launched perfume consisting of 7 scents in their Les Parfums line. I happened to be browsing the beauty department at Saks Fifth Avenue in Beverly Hills the day they launched in stores and was able to test all seven in person. The rep who helped me was absolutely charming and friendly. I loved that he was patient and took the time to explain each scent carefully and I was especially appreciative of the fact that there was no pressure to make a purchase even though he took a considerable amount of time assisting me with exploring the new launch. There was a specific order in which he sampled and spritzed them on the cards. He explained that there was a “fragrance journey” and each scent had special meaning. We started with the lightest scent Rose des Vents and ended with a sampling of Mille Feux. After getting a little background on each one, the rep then asked me to pick my top two to spray one on each arm. I fell in love with three of them and since the individual bottles are quite expensive I decided to purchase the Miniature Set ($290 for 7 scents, 10 ml each) so I could try and enjoy each one.

The scents are each unique and distinct with a luxurious, refined and sophisticated and classic feel. Anytime I wear one I can’t help but feel like a more put together version of myself – the scents lift the mood and add a touch of luxury without being too strong of feeling overdone. I think the packaging and presentation is absolutely exquisite! The miniatures in the set come boxed in a beautiful white and gold round box, each bottle comes with a removable stopper. The minis do not have spritzers and I wish they did as it makes application so much easier. The bottles however are well designed with a sturdy cap to keep the lids tightly sealed but are still easy to remove with a bit of maneuvering.

A quick look at the miniature size compared to some other items for scale including the Replica Filter in Glow (50 ml), Chanel No 5 L’Eau (50 ml), Jo Malone Mini (9 ml), Chanel Le Vernis and Tom Ford Lipstick. At the time I bought the set the store did not yet have a tester of the miniatures so I did not know they didn’t come with spritzers. The store reps hadn’t seen it in person yet either as the box it comes in (which is a white box shown in the very top photo) is sealed with a clear plastic wrap. After purchasing it, I opened it in the store so we could all see the size and how the minis were bottled (without spritzers).

A quick look at each of the seven Louis Vuitton Perfumes below with a listing of notes and personal thoughts:

Apogee has a light spring time vibe with lily of the valley, jasmine and rose. This was in my top three picks with a light fresh and slightly green everyday kind of feel. Notes include Lily-of-the-valley, jasmine from Grasse, magnolia from China, gaiac wood, sandalwood essence. I cannot detect any wood or sandalwood notes with my nose, but having smelled other lily-of-the-valley scents it makes sense that they are there since this one has a less powdery or floral feel that most lily-of-the-valley fragrances have.

Rose des Vents is a petal rose with a mix of several different rose notes. It’s a sweet and light kind of scent like a sweet garden. There is a very soft and slightly fruity feel to it making it different from most rose scents. Notes include centifolia rose absolute, Turkish rose essence, Bulgarian rose essence, Florentine iris, Virginia cedar. This is very light and feminine.

Contre Moi has a vanilla-ish vibe but not the traditional sweet kind of vanilla scent. The orange blossom notes and magnolia give it an interesting twist. It has a unisex vibe Notes include infusion and essence of vanilla from Madagascar, Tahitensis vanilla, orange blossom, rose centifolia from Grasse, essence of magnolia, ambrette seeds.

Turbulences is one of the ones I did not care for as it smells almost dated with an aged dusty kind of feel. It smells of tuberose with leathery notes. include tuberose, jasmin grandiflorum from Grasse, absolute of jasmine sambac from China, may rose.

Mille Feux notes include leather infusion, raspberry, osmanthus from China, iris from concrete, saffron. This is in my top three – it has a sweet kind of feel without being overly sweet or fruity.

Dans La Peau is a scent described as skin-like. This was also in my top three. It is a difficult one for me to describe but it smells very clean with a mix of floral notes, leather and a slight hint of apricot. It has a raw and earthy feel in the sense it is very natural. Notes include infusion of natural leather, Jasmine from Grasse, absolute of narcissus, musk, Magnolia from China.

Matiere Noire is a darker evening type of scent with blackcurrant and white narcissus. It has a deeper more complex feel compared to other blackcurrant scents like L’Artisan Mure et Musc or Diptyque L’Ombre Dans L’eau. With Matiere Noire I smell blackcurrant, musk and patchouli the most. Notes include Laos agarwod, Sambac jasmine, narcissus, rose centifolia, cyclamen, patchouli and incense. I think this one could pass as a unisex kind of scent.

There are several different ways to purchase the scents. Individually they come in a 100 ml size for $240 and 200 ml spray for $350. There are also travel sized sets with four 7.5 ml cartridges and a travel bottle with magnetic closure for $240. I fell in love with the Miniature Set because it allows me to sample each one. Also as I already own a lot of perfumes and it takes me forever to use one up the minis were the way to go.

I’ve been playing with these for several months now and while I’ve found three that I really like although due the high price I haven’t felt compelled to buy the full size in any particular option. On me the strength of each scent is just perfect – not too strong but still strong enough to last all day without fading. A few dabs on the wrist is all I need. I do wish the Miniature Set had spritzers on the top for easier application like the full size bottles which are just absolutely beautiful in design, but I have no regrets splurging on the minis.

My top favorites are Apogee, Dans la Peau and Mille Feux. You can find Louis Vuitton Perfumes in stores and online. If you are able to visit a store I highly recommend you give them a try in person! The Miniature Set retails for $290.

Over the holiday season MAC launched a Shadescents Collection with six perfumes inspired by six of their most iconic lip colors. They re-launched the lipsticks with special limited-edition packaging in tinted caps to match the lipsticks themselves along with color-coordinated fragrances. The concept is just genius and as soon as I opened up the package I just couldn’t wait to see what Crème d’ Nude or Velvet Teddy would smell like in perfume form. The scents are all Eau de Parfums and run at $57 each for 50 ml/1.7 fl oz. The Lipsticks are $17 each for 3 g / 0.1 oz with special edition packaging.

Crème d’Nude Lipstick is one I could never wear alone and still can’t. It’s more of a layering color for me whether I mix it with another deeper lipstick, gloss or liner. The Crème d’Nude Scent is described as an amber velvet musk which I find accurate. This one is my favorite and the only one I can see myself wearing on a regular basis. It’s almost like a daytime version of Elizabeth and James Nirvana Black. The throw is extremely strong and lasts all day from morning to late afternoon without fading.

Velvet Teddy is a classic nude lip color. I was interested to see what it would smell like in perfume form. The scent is described as oriental amber with wild honey and creamy musk. This is definitely a sweet honey like scent with a bit of spice. If you like honey scents this will be right up your alley. The spice notes are prominent giving it a velvety feel. On my skin it pulls very strong and very rich. This is my second favorite.

Candy Yum-Yum is a neon pink in color, bright and vibrant. The scent is extremely sweet described as fruity floral gourmand with pink guava. It’s distinctly sweet and when I spritzed it I was 100% sure I would not be able to wear it. Surprisingly on my skin it works for a fun and pretty scent. I still don’t think it’s really my cup of tea due to the sweetness but the times I wore it I was pleasantly surprised.

Lady Danger is a bright coral red. The scent is described as a woody oriental floral with patchouli. It’s very spicy and masculine with a strong incense kind of vibe. It’s too dramatic and rich for my taste. The scent is definitely a head-turner as described.

Ruby Woo is described as a woody floral. This has leather notes that makes it even deeper and more dramatic than Lady Danger. It’s rich, dark and deep – not something I would wear although I do think it could make an interesting home scent in candle form.

Heroine is a purple cream lipstick. It’s not one I had ever looked at before as it’s more dramatic and purples really aren’t my thing. The scent is described as woody leather with a primal feel. It’s the most masculine scent out of the lineup, definitely not something I would wear. Although after spritzing it in our house as a room spray in a small area the dry down is interesting and actually pleasant.

Overall a really interesting concept. I do think the creators of this collection managed to capture the lipstick in a scent that made sense. Scents are so personal and everyone has different tastes so I do not think these will be everyone’s cup of tea. My favorite is Crème d’Nude but my husband is not a fan of it on me. If you’re near a MAC Store I’d recommend you definitely give these a look. They’re worth checking out and it’s always fun to play at the freestanding stores. If anything I love the special edition packaging of the lip colors – I’m tempted to buy another Velvet Teddy although I will probably resist because the lipsticks usually last a very long time. The color-coordinated caps and black base are so sleek and pretty!

The collection is available at MAC Cosmetics. Have you checked it out yet? What did you think?

JavaScript is currently disabled in this browser. Reactivate it to view this content.

I discovered Antica Farmacista over the summer thanks to a recommendation from a friend and have been enamored with what I’ve discovered so far. The team sent over a few pieces for holiday and I was so smitten with the Champagne Black Label scent I went ahead and ordered other items such as the candles for the home and for gifts. I included items in my Luxury Candle Holiday Gift Guide and today I have more items to review. Home fragrance comes in a number of options and formats. While I love burning candles for creating the perfect relaxed ambiance, diffusers and room sprays are great alternatives.

Home Ambiance Diffuser Trio ($64 for three 3.4 fl oz diffusers) with Champagne Black Label, Manhattan and the Vanilla, Bourbon and Mandarin

The Champagne Black Label scent is one of the prettiest feminine home scents I’ve ever smelled. It’s sparkling, sweet and has a very fresh feel – reminds me of what a luxury spa smells like. It has Satsuma citrus, muguet, apricot, passionfruit and sugared black currant. The throw of the mini diffuser in the trio set has decent throw that it fills up the entire bathroom (we have a small one). It’s girly but not too girly that it bothers my husband. For the candles I prefer the larger size, the small one is cute and the packaging is adorable but it burned through quickly. Throw and lasting power of the Room Fragrance Spray is good as a refresher and it lingers for at least one hour. If you want something that lasts longer, opt for one of the larger diffusers or candle.

Little details and touches make all the difference and I’m absolutely smitten with the fact that the Champagne Black Label Candle (in the full size) comes with matches inside the lid of the box. I get easily excited about small things like this but I have never bought a candle before like this with such pretty packaging.

The diffuser I reviewed back in July is about 75% used up. I bought several other scents during the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale and gave a few to my husband to put in his office. Several readers who have tried the line commented that some scents have good throw for the reed diffusers while others do not and I agree with their assessment. The ones for holiday have very good throw in my experience – I have both the mini 100 ml size and full size 500 ml size.

Another beautiful limited-edition set is the Home Ambiance Diffuser Trio. My husband has a full-size Manhattan in his office and likes it for a nice subtle warm citrus with spice and pepper. He put it in the restrooms of his office to keep them smelling nice. I’ve have the Champagne Black Label opened in our home. I have not yet tried or smelled the Vanilla, Bourbon and Mandarin and given the fact that these diffusers seem to last a long time it may be a few months before I open it up. The holiday set is beautifully packaged and fairly reasonable at the $64 price point. I think it’s one that can make a great hostess gift and can also work well for co-worker or office gifts. Home scent can be tricky for gifting as fragrance of any kind is personal but I do think these will be suitable for any age or style.

Tray from West Elm but no longer available, similar style here and here

Overall I’m impressed and everything I’ve tried from Antica Farmacista so far is just exquisite. The scents are strong and long lasting. They add a sophisticated touch to the home and I love that the scents are feminine but not too girly. The Champagne Black Label is limited-edition and if you’re looking for a good holiday scent that won’t leave the home smelling like a Christmas Tree or Pumpkin Spices this is a great one to try this season or gift. All my friends and family say that I’m the hardest to shop for and I always tell them not to stress and if they want to get me something, I’m beyond thrilled with something simple like a Diptyque candle (because I do use them a lot) or candy because I’m the biggest sugar addict. For those who are hard to shop for this line is one line I think you can’t go wrong with.

I’ve been thrilled to work with Dior Beauty more these past few months as I’ve been a long time fan of their makeup. Today I have collaboration to share with you featuring pieces from their fragrance selections. My husband and I are almost opposites when it comes to testing fragrances – I love to switch things up on a regular basis, often changing scents each season. My husband on the other hand prefers to keep things simple and streamlined and sticks with a select handful of 2-3 staples. Dior Sauvage is one I bought him a little over a year ago when it launched as something new for him to try, he fell in love and it’s been one of his everyday staples. For me I’ve never quite found “the one” from Dior until I smelled their J’adore Eau de Toilette the “New Eau Lumiere” which is exactly what I like: fresh, clean, modern, feminine, bright with a hint of rose but not too sweet. It’s rare that both my husband and I like the scents from the same brand and I was thrilled when I asked my husband to smell the J’adore Eau de Toilette on me and he gave it a thumbs up.

The J’adore Eau de Toilette is clean, feminine with a modern twist. It has a lighter feel compared to the J’adore Eau de Parfum which is also lovely but a tad bit too rich for my taste with stronger floral notes. The Eau de Toilette version (one featured in this review) has a brighter feel with top notes of citrus blood orange, and a slight hint of magnolia, vanilla and lemon to round out the floral feel making it fresh and lively but not too floral and not too sweet. It’s soft enough to wear during the day but also great for date nights on occasions where you want to smell nice but don’t want something overpowering or too strong. Lasting power is very good on my skin – a few spritzes will last from early morning until late afternoon without any touch ups needed. The strength is just right for me so when you spray it on the skin, it melds well with my natural body chemistry and doesn’t turn like some florals do.

The J’adore Eau de Toilette currently comes in one size in a 3.4 oz spray – the bottle as expected with all Dior products is beautifully designed with a distinct look. It’s elegant and fits nicely into the hand for spritzing. I hope they will introduce smaller sizes of this one for travel as I’d love to be able to carry one in my purse for pre-date night touch ups on days I don’t have time to go home and freshen up.

My husband has used up several bottles of Dior Sauvage Eau de Toilette and by now has tested out the entire line of products. Being able to use an entire line from head to toe of the same scent is the best thing he can think of when it comes to men’s grooming. This scent is one of the few he likes enough to repurchase after using up – the Sauvage Solid Deodorant is in his top two favorites of all men’s deodorant.

Sauvage is one that makes his top shelf list and it works for him because it’s fresh, clean and modern. The bergamot notes combined with a hint of wood and pepper give it that masculine feel with a raw edgy kind of vibe. My husband likes strong scents and this one has a good balance of strong yet subtle so that it’s conservative enough to wear to work or for daytime but lasts all day. Out of the entire scented line his favorite items are the Shower Gel and Deodorant Solid (he wants to specify that the solid is better than the spray version). He has sensitive skin under the arms and there are few deodorants he can use that won’t irritate his skin. This one also works really well to cover body odor and a plus for him is that it without fail lasts all day.

Finding “the one” for fragrance can take quite a bit of time. So much depends on mood, season, occasion and scents often smell different depending on your skin type and chemistry. When testing scents I often have to spritz samples on and let them sit for a day before deciding whether or not I like it. For my husband the Dior Sauvage is one of his staples (to be exact he has 3 right now, two he switches out for day, and one he uses for night). For me I love rotating on a weekly basis because I’m more complicated and finicky with beauty products so I change them a lot. I do think the J’adore Eau de Toilette is one that I’ll be able to wear for years to come. It’s a timeless kind of scent that is both modern and classic, plus it’s suitable for any occasion. Scent can often be a good mood changer and this one has a bright vibrant feel with a feminine touch that lifts my mood and gives me a brighter outlook on the day.

You can find both the J’adore Eau de Toilette and Sauvage at Dior.com.

Do you have a signature scent right now? If you have a husband or boyfriend what are his go-to’s?

I have a gift guide roundup including some of my favorite candles for the home this holiday. I love those warm and cozy feel good scents this time of year. Pine and spice scents are always fun to give the ultimate Christmas kind of vibe, but if you’re not into those kinds of scents there are still lots of other options that are great for holiday. If you don’t want your house to smell like a pine tree or pumpkin, but still want something for your home or for a gift, I’ve rounded up alternatives for you.

The cutest luxury set this year is the Jo Malone Christmas Miniature Candle Collection ($110 for 5 candles, 1.2 oz each). This is definitely quite the splurge but comes packaged in a beautiful box that looks like a small tent box. The throw on these is phenomenal even though they are small. It contains Sweet Almond and Macaroon, Green Tomato Leaf, Frosted Cherry and Clove, Pomegranate Noir, Peony and Blush Suede.

Byredo carries some of the most expensive candles on the luxury beauty market. I’ve splurged on a few here and there and love them, but the price is something that holds me back from trying them all (otherwise I would). If you’re shopping for someone who already has almost everything Byredo have some unique options that I think are great.

This year they’ve introduced three candles in a gorgeous color glass version at $85 each. Fleur Fantôme and Cotton Poplin are my favorites for their soft relaxing feel and I ordered those immediately to add some color and life to our home. Bibliothèque is also available in a green tinted version (this one smells like a sweeter version of Bal D’Afrique perfume). Another thing they’ve brought back this year are minis! (I reviewed three a year ago here.) The minis run at $35 each and right now they have them in Fleur Fantôme, Bohemia, Cotton Poplin, Tree House and Bibliothèque. For those new to the brand, you can find Byredo at Neiman Marcus, Barneys’s New York and Net-A-Porter.

The white frosted ones from last year are also still available, Figue Glacée ($95) is my favorite as I love fig scents and this one has red currant, whipped vanilla cream, violet, bamboo and sandalwood mixed in. The other two Prune Glacée and Cassis Glacée are both very sweet.

Le Labo x Violet Grey have done a collaboration to launch a special exclusive of the Santal 26 Candle which comes in a beautiful black glass jar instead of the clear ones. The scent is still the same as the clear one, both are named Santal which has notes including amber, vanilla, cedar, musk and sandalwood. It has an earthy almost raw feel. Another great sandalwood home scent is the Molton Brown Coco and Sandalwood line. I own this scent in every option including the hand cream, shower gel, room spray and body lotion. The candle gives all kinds of cozy warm vibes. You can find the candle in a Single Wick ($49) version or Three Wick ($74) version.

Diptyque is always fun during the holiday. I think their pine scent is the best one that comes out each year. This year’s special edition candles come in a Holiday Candle Trio ($100) with minis that has Sparkling Incense, Delicious Spices and Festive Fir Tree. My favorite is the blue one Sparking Incense which has cloves, vanilla and incense. Quite a few of you asked for other recommendations as some mentioned you were disappointed in this year’s holiday options. Noisetier ($32 to $62) is hazelnut which is a warm and sweet scent but it’s not overly sweet. It has a mix of fruity and woody in it as well making it a delicious option. Vanille ($32 to $62) is another option, it’s a different kind of smoky vanilla. I didn’t really love it at first, it’s one that took me a while to get used to, but it’s a cozy option. To date the best vanilla scent is Henri Bendel’s Vanilla Bean – it’s not too sweet which is my biggest issue with most vanilla based candles.

Hope you enjoyed this roundup of some of my favorites! If I had to pick just three to burn the rest of the month, my top picks would be Antica Farmacista Champagne Black Label, Molton Brown Coco and Sandalwood and Diptyque Noisetier.

Do you have any favorite holiday scents for the home? Let me know in the comments!

Press samples included from Lumira, Molton Brown and Antica Farmacista.

There are so many new scents that have launched this season. I usually find one or two new scents each season that I love but this season almost every new fragrance I’ve tested I’ve fallen in love with. I have a roundup of ones I have in rotation right now along with a men’s rotation for my husband. He usually sticks to the same colognes so many of the ones you’ll see here have been featured numerous times. I like to switch things up frequently so some of mine are newer ones.

Up first are my favorites along with thoughts on some others I’ve tested:

The three most exciting fragrance launches this season for me have been from Louis Vuitton, Louboutin and Edward Bess. I will have dedicated reviews coming soon on the launches but wanted to give you a roundup of highlights right now. Shown above:

Chanel N°5 L’Eau (c/o, reviewed here) is a light clean floral that dries down to a slightly powdery musk. Many of you have bought or tried this one too and mentioned that you either love or hate it. I really like it for the clean lively feel. It was a Chanel.com exclusive for a few weeks but you can find it now at all Chanel counters (for those wondering).

L’Artisan Mûre et Musc has been a long time favorite. I discovered it thanks to one of my best friends who always smells amazing. L’artisan recently redesigned all their packaging so out of curiosity I ordered one of the new ones and was relieved to find the scent is still the same. Sometimes I worry formulas change when packaging does. In this case it’s the classic berry musk.

Molton Brown Pink Pepperpod Eau de Toilette is one of my favorite Molton Brown scents, I discovered it in the hand cream and shower gel and loved it so much I bought the perfume. It’s difficult to describe but it has a pink pepper, patchouli and cedarwood mix with a girly zest. They have a Discovery Set online that has 8 small spritzers of their scents you can order.

This weekend their Friends and Family 20% off sale is happening through October 3 with code USFF20 at checkout. I won’t have a home fragrance roundup in time before the sale ends, but their Coco and Sandalwood Candle is to die for for fall.

Replica Filter in Glow is a new perfume primer designed to layer with your perfume. It’s an oil based spray and scented so it adheres well to the skin. I like using it alone or layering it with Replica Lipstick On afterwards. It’s a soft warm citrus that feels bright but not sharp.

Notes citrus neroli.

Byredo Bal D’Afrique is one of the few sweet scents I find I can wear. It’s one of the most unique fragrances I’ve tried and to me I smell a slight hint of apricot in it but it’s not really like that at all. For me it’s a bright sweet with a hint of musk, amber and cedarwood mixed in. It’s floral but sweet. I find it impossible to describe. I know many of you also love this one. If you can chime in the comments how you’d describe it I would so greatly appreciate your help!

Byredo Unnamed (not shown) is a new one that I tried at Barneys over the week. It was truly love at first spritz but I decided to wait on this. I cannot find the notes on this one anywhere but if Gypsy Water and Black Saffron had a baby together this would be it. It’s fresh and modern like Gypsy Water and but not as sweet as Black Saffron. I’m seriously tempted.

Edward Bess Spanish Veil (c/o) is one of three new scents launched by Edward. I’ll have a full review on all three very soon. Right now they are exclusive online to his website. I do believe you can call the Bergdorf Goodman counter to order but they should launch online very soon. Spanish Veil is one of my favorites. It has a Byredo Gypsy Water feel but is less sweet and more woodsy. For some reason I detect a hint of licorice.

Notes include Pure Sandalwood, Tonka and Guaiac Wood

Louis Vuitton Apogee is one of seven new perfumes launched. I bought the mini set and owe you a full review. For now my top two include Apogee which is lily of the valley. I normally do not gravitate towards lily of the valley scents but this one is just one of the prettiest florals I’ve ever smelled. It has a powdery feel so if you don’t like powdery scents this may not be for you. It’s fresh and feminine.

Louis Vuitton Matiere Noire is my second favorite and is more of an evening night scent. If you like fragrances like L’Artisan Mure et Musc, Byredo Black Saffron or any blackcurrant kinds you will like this one. It’s a woodsy blackcurrant kind of scent that is more of an evening one rather than day to day. There is a floral mix in it which makes it smell rich but feminine.

Louboutin Tornade Blonde (c/o) is one of the most luxurious perfumes I own. If you have a current Saks or Neimans catalog you can find a small sampler card inside one of the pages to try. All three are really amazing but I fell in love with Tornade Blonde which is exactly what I think of when I think of a perfume kind of scent. It’s a very strong floral with red rose, violet and cassis along with hints of jasmine. The bottle is just incredible in the design.

Elizabeth and James Nirvana Bourbon (not shown) is one of two new Nirvana additions. As you can see from my list I like soft florals but also fresh scents. Many of you prefer sweeter more gourmand fragrances and unfortunately for me my husband does not like vanilla at all. As I do not want to repulse him I do not wear it. Nirvana Bourbon is a seductive smoky vanilla. If you like vanilla scents this one is perfect for fall. You can also now find all four in this Nirvana Mini Rollerball Set for holiday which is just so cute!

Notes Vanilla Bourbon. Oakwood. Tuberose.

Viktor and Rolf BonBon (not shown) is one I had high hopes for. As a Flowerbomb fan I thought BonBon could be a great alternative. For me it has a similar vibe but is very very sweet. If you like sweet scents I suspect you might like this. For me it was too sweet, almost like a cookie or dessert.

For a cologne roundup I asked him to pull his favorites for right now. Many of these you’ll recognize from past roundups. For him cologne and scent picks are more a year round kind of thing. He’ll pick one depending on occasion whether he’s looking for an everyday kind of scent or something more dressy for going out:

Chanel Bleu de Chanel is in my husband’s top three favorites. Out of all the colognes he has tried this is probably the one he’s asked me to repurchase for him the most. He prefers using the Refillable Travel Spray version so he can carry it with him in his briefcase or store easily in his desk at his office. It is hard for him to describe scents but he says this is a good everyday cologne that smells clean and modern but a woodsy feel. It’s strong enough without being too strong.

Notes are citrus and wood.

Tom Ford Costa Azzurra is more of a summery kind of cologne. It’s a unisex kind of scent that I adore and would actually wear myself except my husband says it’s too masculine for me. After spritzing it a few times I actually did have to agree it’s clearly more masculine with a woodsy oak with a slight green juniper mix.

Notes Juniper, Herbs, Green Notes, Oak, Warm Woods.

Tom Ford Vert des Bois (c/o) is a new one this season part of the Vert line. This too is another unisex one but still pulls more masculine. I’ve worn this myself this week as my husband has been traveling and it makes me think of him. If you liked Oud Wood you will really like this one. For a more feminine option the Vert Boheme is just lovely. It’s on my wishlist but given my long list for now I’m relying on my mini decant sample.

Notes Poplar Bud. Ouzo. Woods.

Viktor and Rolf Spicebomb is hands down the best hot-guy date night scent I’ve smelled and also is my husband’s favorite. He’s already gone through a few bottles. Since we were such big fans of this I picked up the Viktor and Rolf Spicebomb Fresh thinking it would be a more modern version. We both agree the original is still the best as by comparison the Fresh one almost has a feminine feel which is nice but the original is better.

Dior Sauvage (c/o) is the third in the top three colognes for my husband. He believes most men like to stick to one or two colognes versus women who like to try lots of things. For the longest time no matter what I bought him to try he stuck with the Bleu de Chanel which works, but he did get a bit bored using the same one everyday. He says if you like the Bleu de Chanel but want something different to switch things up, the Dior Sauvage is the one to go with. This marks the one year anniversary of Dior Sauvage and they launched a larger 6.8 fl oz version. My husband owns and has already gone through a few of the smaller size. He likes the way the bottle is designed with a round sturdy glass jar and magnetic cap.

Notes Reggio Bergamot, Sichuan Pepper, Ambroxan.

Dior Sauvage Deoderant (c/o) is one I think smells amazing for a men’s deodorant and matches the cologne. My husband has sensitive skin under his arms and many will make his skin peel. This one does not and lasts all day for him so it’s a winner. There’s a Deodorant Spray as well which I’ve been trying to get him to try but he’s a creature of habit and uses the stick.

YSL L’Homme Deodorant is another winning scent for him and he says this is the best scented deoderant he’s ever tried. When I bought it he had very low expectations for this because he’s tried a lot and found they either didn’t last or didn’t smell good. The rep at Sephora swore by this one as his favorite and said “your husband won’t be disappointed, I promise.” So I gave it a go and I’m glad I did.

That rounds up our current scent rotation favorites for fall. I have a few others I’ve kept in rotation but I tried to narrow it down to my absolute favorites for right now. If I had to pick three, they would probably be Replica Filter in Glow, L’Artisan Mure et Musc and Byredo Bal D’Afrique. Out of the ones on my wishlist I’m gravitating most towards the Byredo Unnamed perfume but there are some others I still want to smell before deciding on another one.

As always I’d love to hear what you are wearing for fall. I’m also curious to hear how you buy your perfumes. I always find it overwhelming trying to decide. Do you ever buy perfume sight unseen? I try to at least test in store if I can, although sometimes I will order online after thinking about it for a while if I can’t get to a store or if there are no stores that carry a specific brand. (For me no nearby stores carry Le Labo, Byredo, Frederic Malle, L’Artisan.) Let me know in the comments how you go about trying new perfumes or deciding on a new purchase!

Are there any new ones launching that you’re excited about or have anything on your wishlist?

I will have dedicated reviews on the Louis Vuitton, Replica Filters and Edward Bess perfumes soon. If you want any other detailed posts let me know and I’ll see what I can do to fit them in.

On September 1st Chanel launched a new perfume for fall called N°5 L’EAU ($100 to $132) which is modern fresh take on the classic N°5. The new N°5 L’Eau is very different from the original, it is significantly lighter in feel with a very clean almost green zesty feel but floral with hints of musk. Notes per Chanel:

“Composed by Chanel perfumer Olivier Polge, N°5 L’EAU features dynamic, crisp top notes of Lemon, Mandarin and Orange that reveal lightheartedness and transparency. The emblematic heart of the bouquet unfolds with Rose, Jasmine and a new fraction of Ylang Ylang, more modern than ever. Behind this floral whirlwind lies an unprecedented sense of liveliness: the vibrant echo of Cedar, accompanied by soft and cottony Musk notes.”

Smelling this seems to give me that fresh feel of spring but the combination of musk, ylang ylang and jasmine makes it one that I feel one can truly wear year round. Part of me wishes it was launched in the spring though because I would have worn this all season long and loved it. That being said I will wear this for the upcoming season.

Strength-wise it’s in the Eau de Toilette form and it’s a light scent so I can spritz generously without having to worry about overdoing it. Lasting power is not as good as an Eau de Parfum, but I can smell it from morning until about lunch time before I find it has disappeared completely. I rarely reapply perfumes mid-day even if they fade on me unless they have a travel size you can buy separately. I know there are a number of travel size spritzers and vials that you can fill with your own scent but I feel like they aren’t as well packaged and tightly sealed like the ones that are made by the brands themselves.

To date my favorite Chanel fragrance is the Les Exclusifs de Chanel in Beige. I’ve sampled a number of others each time I’m at a store that carries them (you can’t find them at all counters). Gardenia, Jersey and No 22 have all been tempting but my heart still belongs to Beige. I sniffed Boy last month and found it interesting too, I’m undecided on it as so many fragrances have captured my attention I need to limit myself to ones I truly love. The N°5 L’Eau is a clean floral like Beige, but at the same time it’s very different in overall feel and effect. N°5 L’Eau is brighter, cleaner and has a bit more of a powdery feel by comparison.

I’ve always wanted a Chanel perfume in that classic bottle that came in a spray form and now I do. I had the original N°5 before (it was gifted) and it simply wasn’t me so I gave it away so I cannot compare it to the newly launched L’eau version.

Bottom line: modern, clean and fresh that dries down to a powdery floral. As perfume is very personal and scents often shift depending on your body chemistry, I don’t think there is any universal kind of scent. This one won’t be for everyone and if you need something with very strong lasting power, this definitely won’t be for you. I like it and will wear it frequently. You can find the Chanel N°5 L’Eau Eau de Toilette in a 50 ml for $100 and 100 ml for $132, both exclusively online at Chanel. The one I have featured in this review is the smaller size. If you’ve tried this I’d be curious to hear your thoughts! If not, let me know what your go-to is for this upcoming fall season. I always love reading about what my readers are wearing.

The Beauty Look Book utilizes some affiliate links which may generate a small commission from clicks that result in a purchase. Press samples are occasionally sent to me for review consideration. Posts and reviews that feature press samples are disclosed. For more information refer to the FAQ section.